Up, Up, and… well, just Up

April 22, 2013 / Becca / 25 Comments

The Weekly WordPress Photo Challenge is Up. So, I started on Friday (when the challenge was posted) and took pictures of the sky all weekend. Here’s some of my favorites…

Rainy Friday evening, through the sunroof

Saturday afternoon

later Saturday afternoon

Sunday morning

Sunset on Sunday

Here some “Up” posts from others:

Single Blooms

April 19, 2013April 19, 2013 / Becca / 8 Comments

This one is my favorite!

This is a viola.

These are some photos I took for the Wordsmith Studio Weekly Photo Prompt: Flower.

The dark purple one is my favorite, followed closely by the purple and white one. Which one do you like best?

Happy Writing and Photo Fun!

Becca♥

My 100th Post: Lost…

April 17, 2013April 18, 2013 / Becca / 19 Comments

The first thing I remember is the sound of the machines.

(Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.)

Then, a rustle and a whisper.

“Carrie, page Dr. Allen. I think Liv’s waking up. Her color is much better.”

The door closed softly.

(Click.)

I opened my eyes, and immediately scrunched them closed again against the light. I tried again, a little more slowly, and squinted.

“Hello, there. My name’s Sarah. Can you tell me your name?” I looked up at a tiny blonde in pink scrubs covered with teddy bears.

“I…” (Cough, cough.) “Sorry, I… I’m not sure.” She patted my leg.

“That’s alright. Just rest. The doctor will be here soon.” She scribbled on a clipboard (scratch, scratch), and I scanned the room and took a mental recap: I’m in a hospital. She must be a nurse and the doctor will be here soon. How is this all I know? I don’t feel hurt or ill. Why am I here? How did I get here? And, maybe most importantly, who am I?

The door opened and my heart monitor skipped a beep.

—————————-

This 180-word flash fiction piece was written for Trifecta Writing Challenge Week 73. Write 33-333 words using the third definition of the word “color”:

3: complexion tint:

a : the tint characteristic of good health

b : blush

Happy Writing and Photo Fun,

Becca♥

P.S. This is my 100th post!! Woo Hoo!

For the Birds…

April 12, 2013April 12, 2013 / Becca / 6 Comments

You may have noticed that the Wordsmith Studio prompt for this week is Birds.

The first one is a turkey vulture. I think they look cool cause they are big and have red heads.

The next one is a hummingbird. If you’ve ever had hummingbird feeders, you know what they sound like. Every time I hear one, I duck for cover. They sound like the loudest, biggest bee you’ve ever heard in your life. But they look awesome, with their wings flapping so fast that they can hover in place and dart around. Some of them, like the one above, also have pretty ruby throats.

The last photo was a total fluke. I was taking a picture of a squirrel stealing seed from the bird feeder (you can just see him on top of the feeder), and a grackle flew right through my line of sight. Of course, with the camera up to my face, I never saw the bird. It was a little scary when I looked back through the photos I had taken of the squirrel.

We love birds here at my house. We have more than 15 feeders and regularly see finches, hummingbirds, doves, titmice, woodpeckers, grackles, robins, bluebirds, cardinals, blue jays, chickadees, and probably others that I just can’t think of right now. The birds are just starting to come out and I’m looking forward to watching them all summer.

Happy Writing and Photo Fun!

Becca♥

Color

April 7, 2013April 7, 2013 / Becca / 20 Comments

For the Weekly Photo Challenge at DailyPost.WordPress.com.

Happy Writing and Photo Fun,

Becca ♥

Check out more colorful photos:

One

April 5, 2013 / Becca / 5 Comments

Usually found by the hundreds, these ladybugs (or lady beetles) drive me crazy!

The Weekly Photo Prompts over at WordsmithStudio.org were “One” last week and “Pet Peeves” this week. So I’ve kinda combined them. Enjoy!

Happy Writing and Photo Fun!

Becca♥

Sorry I haven’t posted in about a week. I was sick/icky and didn’t really feel like doing much of anything I was “supposed” to. But I’m feeling better and will probably be back to my usual two photography posts and one writing post per week.

Never Again

March 29, 2013April 5, 2013 / Becca / 64 Comments

“I can’t do this anymore.” Martha wiped the tears from her cheeks. “I won’t cry my heart out, waiting for you at night, anymore.” She rolled his body into the river. “Never again.”

This 33 word flash fiction story (with an idiom) was written for Trifecta: Trifextra Week 61. Check out some of the other entries and leave some comment love.

Happy Writing and Photo Fun!

Becca♥

New Cover REVEAL: A Ranger’s Tale by Mysti Parker

March 29, 2013March 28, 2013 / Becca / 2 Comments

I’m so excited to share this with you all! I LOVED this book, and can’t wait to see the new cover! Read about this awesome book below and join in the cover reveal fun. See you there!

The world of Tallenmere was born in January, 2011 with this first exciting story about Caliphany, an elven noblewoman who longs to leave her gilded cage, and Galadin, the half-elf former pirate who trains her to do just that. To better reflect its place in the burgeoning series and Caliphany’s choice between two good men, cover artist Caroline Andrus and I tore down the original cover to make room for a whole new look!

Join us for this exciting reveal party on Facebook, Friday, March 29 from 5-10 PM EST. Bring a friend, too. There do be prizes, mateys!

*$25 Amazon.com gift card

*Signed Print copy of A Ranger’s Tale

*And MORE!

CLICK HERE TO JOIN THE PARTY: https://www.facebook.com/events/103766896485420/

Blurb:

In the world of Tallenmere, an elven noblewoman longed to leave her gilded cage. A half-breed former pirate wanted nothing more than to escape his guilty past. Easier said than done…

High elf Caliphany Aranea leads an enviable life as King Leopold’s niece and daughter of Sirius, Leogard’s most famous wizard. Yet, being forced to follow in her father’s footsteps and being betrothed to a man she doesn’t even like makes her want a taste of life outside the city walls.

As a young boy, half-elf Galadin Trudeaux witnessed his parents’ death at the hands of pirates. After being raised by those same murderers and forced to do their bidding, he escaped and now lives an honest life as a sea merchant and ranger.

When two brutes at Leogard Harbor attempt to kidnap Caliphany while she dreams of faraway lands, Galadin comes to her rescue. Impressed by his skills, she asks him to train her as a ranger. Though he is hesitant at first to train a woman of her class, Caliphany’s hefty sack of gold finally persuades him. Unfortunately, her father is not amused, and the two must escape before Caliphany faces a forced marriage and Galadin faces a noose.

From that moment on, she and Galadin embark on an adventure of a lifetime. Only if they can survive the trials ahead, will they find a love that stands the test of time.

****

You can find the brand new version of A Ranger’s Tale with its shiny new cover at these websites:

Melange Books (PDF, HTML, ePub)

Amazon.com (Kindle)

Lulu (Print)

…and very soon from all other major online retailers!

About the Author

Mysti Parker (pseudonym) is a full time wife, mother of three, and a writer. Her first novel, A Ranger’s Tale was published in January, 2011 by Melange Books, and the second in the fantasy romance series, Serenya’s Song, was published in April 2012. Book Three, Hearts in Exile, is expected to be born in the summer of 2013. Mysti reviews books for SQ Magazine, an online specfic publication, and is the proud owner of Unwritten, a blog recently voted #3 for eCollegeFinder’s Top Writing Blogs award. She resides in Buckner, KY with her husband and three children.

Mysti’s other writings have appeared in the anthologies Hearts of Tomorrow, Christmas Lites, and Christmas Lites II. Her flash fiction has appeared on the online magazine EveryDayFiction. She is currently a book reviewer for the online speculative fiction magazine SQ Mag and has served as a class mentor in Writers Village University’s six week free course, F2K.

The Tallenmere Series:

A Ranger’s Tale

Serenya’s Song

Hearts in Exile (coming summer 2013)

http://www.melange-books.com

www.mystiparker.blogspot.com

Twitter: @MystiParker

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mysti-Parker/103786449704221

mystiparker@yahoo.com

The Lie

March 27, 2013March 26, 2013 / Becca / 11 Comments

This week, I wrote a very, very short piece of fiction called, “The Lie.”

Instead of posting my flash piece here this week, I entered it in the 55 Word Contest by Austin Briggs. I invite you to go read it there, and if you like it, click the thumbs up for me.

Thanks.

Happy Writing and Photo Fun!

Becca ♥